354 Ring an Pinion

[nkaminar]

I ran a very stock 1930 coupe, with 3.78 gears, in the 1960's all over California. I drove at 50 to 55. I got passed by the trucks on the flats but passed the same trucks on grades. Going down grades I just kicked it out of gear.

The gearing depends on where you drive, flats or hills, if you take the interstate or back roads, and how much torque your engine can deliver. The overdrive is the way to go as it provides you both the performance on hills and flats.

 

[tomscott]

Thanks for all your help !
I do have a 5.5 head on a fairly strong engine.
I do not plan to run an overdrive.
Running a 354 may be a good fit for me.
Thanks. Tom

 

[Ruth]

A friend installed a 3.54 gear in his '30 coupe and after a few months went back to the 3.78's. He said the 3.54 gear wasn't that much of a improvement and just aggravated the gear spacing between 2nd and 3rd gear.

 

[Keith True]

I have a 31 coupe with a Mitchell OD and 3.54 gears.I know nothing about the engine,the car was off the road for over 20 years before I got it and put the OD in it.I only found it had the high gears when I pulled a trumpet off to fix a leak.I have zero drivability problems,on flat going I forget and leave it in OD a lot of times.I would like to put higher gears or an OD in a 28 phaeton I have,but it is the early one with the different ring and pinion design.

 

[petew]

Nice thing about the overdrive is the ability to "split gears".
I would imagine that 2nd gear in overdrive is a very useful ratio .

 

[Mike1291]

I would also consider the amount of extra weight you might carry with you. What might be okay with just yourself is a lot different than 400 lbs of extra passengers and gear. Especially if your engine rebuild is counted in decades rather than years

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Thanks for all your help !
I do have a 5.5 head on a fairly strong engine.
I do not plan to run an overdrive.
Running a 354 may be a good fit for me.
Thanks. Tom

Yes, then with what you are saying, a 3.54 will be a good fit. Just understand that this is only about a 7% increase in speed, or about 3½ more mph to your existing speed. That is why a 3.27 is popular because they add about 8 more mph. The improvement happens when you are able to drop your engine RPMs by 7%. A stock R&P with a typical 4.75x19 tire requires about 2600 RPMs to drive around 60 mph. Using a 3.54 ratio allows the RPMs to drop to about 2425 RPMs.

 

[Keith True]

I don't care that much about the speed,I just like to keep the RPM's down.I did buy two sets of 3.27's a few years ago when the rumor went around that they were going to get scarce.I've never used them,but 99% of my A driving is on 45 MPH roads so I won't be going that route.Years ago I ran an old Harley with the biggest sprocket I could find on the front,and the smallest I could find on the rear.60 MPH was just a high idle.It had plenty of torque to handle it,but in traffic my foot had to constantly slip the clutch.

 

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

I have a Tudor as well. Winfield su1 cam, hogged intake and B carb, lightened flywheel an counter balanced crank, with electronic ignition. Put a 3:54 in two years ago. Love it on the flats or freeway, but miss the zip on steep hills.

 

[Pete]

I have a Tudor as well. Winfield su1 cam, hogged intake and B carb, lightened flywheel an counter balanced crank, with electronic ignition. Put a 3:54 in two years ago. Love it on the flats or freeway, but miss the zip on steep hills.

Put in a shorter timing cam like a 77B.
The SU1 is too much cam for that engine.

 

[Synchro909]

Nice thing about the overdrive is the ability to "split gears".
I would imagine that 2nd gear in overdrive is a very useful ratio .

IMO, You are quite right. I have a Mitchell O/D in all 4 of my Model As and one of their synchro gearboxes in one. I drive all of them like a 5 speed, especially the one with synchro in the gearbox.

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Put in a shorter timing cam like a 77B.
The SU1 is too much cam for that engine.

But Pete, if a little cam is good, then a bigger cam has got to be better!!

 

[Pete]

But Pete, if a little cam is good, then a bigger cam has got to be better!!

I subscribe to that theory myself but I am willing to put up with the poor gas mileage and bucking and jerking at low speed to impress the girls at the
drive-in...LOL